Collapsible wig stand



Sept. 9, 1969 P, SCHWARTZ ET AL 3,465,926

COLLAPS IBLE WIG STAND Filed March 29, 1968 INVENTORS. NATALIE PELS SCHWARTZ NORMAN L. VOLLER DENVER- C. HAMMAN ROBE United States Patent 3,465,926 COLLAPSIBLE WIG STAND Natalie Pels Schwartz and Norman L. Voller, Chicago, Denver C. Hamman, Palatine, and Robert D. Chapman, Des Plaines, 11]., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Countess Natalie, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Mar. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 717,108

Int. Cl. A45d 44/14 US. Cl. 223-67 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of dish-shaped members releasably cooperates to afford a pocket-size container for retaining therein a collapsed, inflatable head form and a rigid standard. The head form carries its own valve means and is removably attached to one of the body members. The standard is engageable between the separated body members to afford an erected wig stand in which the lower body member functions as a base and the upper body member has the attached thereto inflated head form projecting upwardly therefrom.

This invention relates to improvements in portable devices for supporting wigs, hairpieces, hats, and the like, and more particularly to an improved collapsible wig stand of the type disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 633,010, filed Apr. 24, 1967, entitled Wig Stand, and owned by a common assignee, now abandoned.

-In the said copending application there was disclosed a collapsible wig stand which comprised generally a pair of mating dish-shaped body members, an inflatable head form connected to one of the body members, a valve for the head form, and an erection standard. The two members cooperated to form an extremely compact and attractive pocket-size container for retaining therein the standard and deflated head form. When the body members were separated, the head form could be inflated and the standard engaged between the body members so that the free body member functioned as a supportive base for the erected wig stand.

The valve of the described device was mounted on the said one body member with portions thereof extending on both sides of the concave-convex body member. The head form comprised a type of balloon made of relatively light gauge stretchable material, such as, natural or synthetic rubber, and had a narrow neck portion which was releasably and hermetically connected to the internal segment of the valve.

After continued use and experimentation, it was found that adequate inflation of the narrow necked elastic head form by mouth was relatively difiicult and required considerable blowing effort. If the head form was not sufficiently inflated the stability of the wig stand was adversely affected. In addition, the stretchable rubber-like materials were susceptible to ageing, cracking and puncture.

it is therefore an important object of this invention to provide an improved collapsible wig stand which eliminates all of the problems described above.

Another object is to afford a collapsible wig stand of the character described in which the head form may be inflated with a minimum amount of blowing effort.

A further object is to provide a collapsible wig stand of the character described in which the head form has its own airtight integrity but is nonetheless detachable from the associated body member for purposes of assembly and replacement. A related object is to provide such a wig stand in which the valve means is carried by the head form rather than the body member.

3,465,926 Patented Sept. 9, 1969 Still another object is to afford a collapsible wig stand of the character described in which the valve means may be positioned anywhere with relation to the head form and not necessarily at the bottom thereof.

Still another object is to provide a collapsible wig stand of the character described which affords an increased degree of stability in the erected use condition.

Yet another object is to afford a collapsible wig stand of the character described in which the head form may be made heavier, more durable and of comparatively nonstretchable materials, such as, polyvinyls, polyethylenes, and the like.

Yet a further object is to provide a collapsible wig stand of the character described having improved and easy to operate means for connecting together the two body members in the container condition.

Another object is to afford a collapsible wig stand of the character described which may be inexpensively fabricated and yet is most attractive, compact, durable and efficient for the purposes intended.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the preferred form of the invention comprises briefly a pair of dish-shaped, generally concavo-convex body members, each formed with a central opening therein. The body members are provided with mating partial thread means and thereby releasably cooperate to afford an attractive pocket-size container. An inflatable-collapsible head form is provided which carries its own valve means and thus has its own airtight integrity. The bottom of the head form includes a circumferentially flanged disc-like member and the head form is releasably attached to one of the body members by a frictional retaining ring which cooperates with the flange. The valve means includes a stem which projects out through the associated body member opening. A rigid standard is also provided, and the same, along with the deflated head form, fits within the closed container. When the body members are separated, the standard is frictionally engageable in the body member openings to afford the erected wig stand.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of our invention, we have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which, when considered in connection with the following description, our invention, its mode of construction, assembly and operation, and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawing in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout the several figures:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a collapsible wig stand embodying the principles of the invention and showing the same in the erected operational condition;

FIG. 2 is a similar view but showing the invention in the collapsed pocket-size condition; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the inventions several parts.

Turning with greater particularity to the various figures of the drawing, the reference numeral 10 indicates generally a collapsible wig stand embodying the principles of the invention. The wig stand 10 comprises a pair of mating dish-shaped body members 12 and 14 which are of generally similar concavo-convex configuration and include upstanding circumferential rims 16 and 18, respectively.

Body member 12 is formed with a central opening 20 and a surrounding sleeve 22 which projects from both the inner and outer surfaces thereof. Body member 14 is similarly formed with a central opening 24 and a sleeve 26, but it will be noted that said sleeve projects only from the inner surface of said body member. The functions of the openings 20, 24 and sleeves 22, 26 will become apparent as the description proceeds.

For purposes of securely but releasably connecting together the body members 12 and 14 into the compact container condition of FIG. 2, the said members are provided with partial thread means best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. It will thus be seen that a plurality of circumferentially spaced integral tabs 28 project from the inner surface of the rim 16 of body member 12. Each of the tabs 28 is formed with a transverse groove 30, and it will be noted that said grooves taper slightly in a counterclockwise direction, or from right to left, as viewed in FIG. 3.

The inner surface of body member 14 is formed with a plurality of cutouts 32 which are approximately twice the radial length of the width of the tabs 28 and which are spaced circumferentially to receive simultaneously all of said tabs. Each of said cutouts 32 is defined by a leading shoulder 34 and a trailing shoulder 36 and has formed in the trailing half thereof a boss or ridge 38. To form the container of FIG. 2, the tabs 28 are merely inserted into the cutouts 32 and body member 12 turned clockwise or body member 14 turned counterclockwise. The ridges 38 thereupon enter and ride in the tapered grooves 30 until further rotation is prevented by the trailing shoulders 36 to provide a most efficient closure. To open the container, it is of course only necessary to reverse the rotational movement and separate the body members.

Associated with body member 12 is an inflatable head form indicated generally by the numeral 40. Head form 40 comprises a sac 42 which can be inflated to produce the generally ovoid and relatively broad based form illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The sac 42 may be made of any suitable material which, when deflated, can be folded and compacted to fit within the container (see FIG. 2), and such materials include polyvinyls, polyethylenes and the natural and synthetic rubbers. In the embodiment illustrated, sac 42 is made of polyvinyl chloride which is extremely durable and relatively nonstretchable.

Closing the bottom of the sac 42 is a disc 44 which is likewise made of a suitable flexible material, in this case a heavier gauge polyvinyl chloride. The disc 44 is sealed to the sac 42 by any well-known electronic or heat sealing method to afford a peripheral flange 46, for reasons which will subsequently be described.

Valve means 48 is carried by the disc 44 and may comprise any of the suitable valves currently available. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, valve means 48 comprises a valve of the type shown in detail in the aforementioned copending application, namely, a standard push-pull valve manufactured by the Halkey-Roberts Corporation. Such a valve includes an elongated hollow stem 50 which may be pulled outwardly to open the valve for inflation or deflation and pushed inwardly to close the valve. The valve 48 is made of a compatible plastic material and is likewise hermetically sealed to the disc 44. It will thus be appreciated that the head form 40 is a. self-contained unit having its own airtight integrity.

A retaining ring 52 is employed for coacting with the flange 46 and inner surface of the rim 16 to frictionally attach the head form 40 to the body member 12. When so attached, the body of the valve 48 fits snugly within the sleeve 22 and the stem 50 projects outwardly therefrom where it is readily accessible to a user of the device.

Completing the assembly is a rigid standard 54 which is slightly tapered at one end 56 and has a reduced diameter extension 58 at the opposite end thereof. Rigidly mounted on the standard 54 is an annular collar 60 which is formed with a reduced diameter segment 62 to provide a shoulder 64.

In order to operationally erect the wig stand as in FIG. 1, the body members 12 and 14 are separated and inverted in opposing relationship so that they face away from each other. Body member 14 is placed on a supporting surface and the tapered end 56 of standard 54 is inserted into opening 24 where the sleeve 26 serves to firmly frictionally retain the same. The sac 42 is inflated and the valve stem pushed in to close the valve. Valve stem 50 is then positioned over the standard extension 58 and the body member 12 is pushed downwardly until the sleeve 22 frictionally engages the collar segment 62 and rests upon the shoulder 64. A most sturdy wig stand is thereby provided wherein the body member 14 functions as a base to firmly retain the standard 54, the sleeve 22 coacts with the collar to firmly support the body member 12, and the relatively broad bottomed and nonstretchable inflated sac 42 functions to unwaveringly support any wig, hairpiece or hat placed thereon.

Collapse of the wig stand 10 is equally simple and requires merely disconnection of standard 54, opening of the valve and deflation of the sac 42, folding the sac into the body member 12, placing standard 54 therein, and connecting the body members together as previously described. The result is a compact and attractive pocket-size container which is free of all protrusions save the short sleeve 22 and the small segment of the valve stem 50 projecting therefrom. In the latter regard, it should be recognized that other positions of the valve means are feasible within the scope of the invention. Thus, for example, the valve means could be positioned at the side of the sac 42, in which case the slightly protruding sleeve 22 could be eliminated entirely.

Similarly, it will be appreciated that the sac 42 could instead have a tapered bottom neck which was closed by the valve means and eliminated the disc 44. In such case, the retaining ring 52 could also be eliminated and the attachment of the head form 40 to body member 12 could be effected by other suitable means, such as, simple tight frictional fit of the valve body within the sleeve 22. It is likewise evident that the standard 54 need not be cruciform in section as illustrated, but may equally well be any other configuration, such as, round or polygonal.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A collapsible wig stand comprising:

a pair of dish-shaped body members;

cooperating means on said body members for releasably connecting together said body members to afford a container;

an inflatable head form;

valve means carried by said head form;

attachment means releasably attaching said head form to one of said body members;

a rigid standard;

said standard and head form when in deflated condition fitting within said container; and

means for engaging said standard between said body members when separated to afford an erected wig stand wherein said one body member has projecting upwardly therefrom the inflated head form and the other body member provides a base for the erected Wig stand.

2. The wig stand of claim 1 in which each of said body members is generally concavo-convex in configura tion and has an upstanding circumferential rim,

said cooperative means comprising thread means formed on said rims.

3. The wig stand of claim 2 in which said thread means comprises:

a plurality of integral circumferentially spaced tabs projecting from the rim of said one body member, each of said tabs having a tapered groove formed in the outer surface thereof; and

mating integral circumferentially spaced ridges formed on the inner surface of said other body member.

4. The collapsible wig stand of claim 1 in which said last-mentioned means comprises:

an opening formed centrally in each of said body members;

said openings frictionally retaining the ends of said standard therein when said body members are sep- 5 arated and oriented to face away from each other.

5. The collapsible wig stand of claim 1 in which said head form comprises a sac inflatable to simulate a generally ovoid head; and

a disc-like member sealed to the bottom of said sac;

said disc-like member including a peripheral flange projecting around the bottom of said sac.

6. The collapsible wig stand of claim 5 in which said attachment means comprises a rigid retaining ring for frictionally cooperating with the inner surface of said body member to releasably attach said flange to said body member.

7. The collapsible Wig stand of claim 6 in Which each of said body members is formed with a central opening therethrough;

said valve means being carried by said disc-like memher and including a hollow elongated stem;

said stem pro ecting out through the opening in said one body member.

8. The collapsible wig stand of claim 7 in which said last-mentioned means comprises:

one end of said standard dimensioned to be frictionally received by the opening in said other body member; and

the opposite end of said standard being of reduced dimension to be frictionally received by said hollow stem.

9. The collapsible wig stand of claim 8 in which an annular collar is rigidly mounted on said standard adjacent said opposite end,

said collar cooperating with said opening in said one body for further frictionally engaging said opposite end of said standard.

10. The collapsible wig stand of claim 1 in which said one body member is formed with a central opening therethrough;

said valve means being positioned in the bottom of said head form and including an elongated hollow stem;

said stern projecting out through said central opening Whereby said stem is accessible from the outside of said one body member for inflating said head form.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,436,330 11/1922 Wiener 223-67 3,132,778 5/1964 Leclabart 223-66 3,257,048 6/ 1966 Wolder 223-67 3,310,267 3 1967 Kochler 248176 3,339,717 9/1967 Rakowitz 20647 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,251,331 12/1959 France.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner GEORGE V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 465, 926 Dated September 9, 1969 1 )Natalie Pels Schwartz Norman L. Voller,

and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as sho wn below: F-

Column 5, line 10: After "of said" insert --one Column 6, line 2: After "body" insert --member SlGieilD AND SEALED JAN 6 -1970 (SEAL) Attest:

ward M. Fletehef; 1;.- WILLIAM E- scmr m, JR. Attesling Officer Oomissioner of Patents 

